Bangladesh Has Become Asia's Third-largest Potato Exporter

Potato shipments from Bangladeshi farmers backed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are on the rise. After China and India, Bangladesh generated 11m tonnes of potatoes in 2022, making it Asia's third-largest exporter.

The top three destinations for exported potatoes were Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Malaysia. Myanmar, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Brunei, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, and Lebanon are additional nations that transport potatoes from Bangladesh.

The Ministry of Agriculture wants to start exporting to Vietnam, Fiji, and Russia, according to The Business Standard.

A novel potato variety named “Sunshine”, meant especially for export was first cultivated by farmers. It produces large crops and grows rapidly.

The Sara Bangla Krishak Society (SBKS), a national network of farmers' organizations, and FAO, as part of the latter's "Missing Middle Initiative" effort, collaborated to make the export venture successful.

They collaborated with BPEA, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), and the Department of Agricultural Extension. Since 2019, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and BADC, under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, have assisted potato farmers in their efforts to boost exports.